Rumex acetosella, commonly known as red sorrel, sheep’s sorrel, field sorrel and sour weed, is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae.
It is often one of the first species to take hold in disturbed areas, such as abandoned mining sites, especially if the soil is acidic.
Sheep’s sorrel is a sign that there are major problems with your soil. It thrives in moist, poorly drained soils where anaerobic bacteria are dominant. Beneficial microbes will struggle to survive in this kind of environment.
